At the annual Outstanding Soldiers Ceremony at the President's Residence on Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the IDF is preparing to deliver a "decisive blow" against Hamas and that the military will increase the pace and intensity of the operations in Gaza soon, if necessary.
“The Hamas terrorists still hold fifty-nine of our brothers and sisters. But they, too, know their safety is not forever,” Zamir said.
“Our sovereignty and independence were not given to us as a gift. They were bought with blood and struggle, and they require us to defend them at all costs.”
The purpose of the ceremony is to honor outstanding soldiers in the IDF. At the beginning of Zamir’s speech, he defined what it means to be outstanding. “Excellence is not measured by who is the most talented or the most brilliant. It is granted to the one who perseveres. It is a quiet, daily choice to act with responsibility, commitment, and integrity — even when no one is watching,” Zamir said.
Zamir noted that this year, the ceremony has “special significance. You are receiving recognition during a time of war,” he said, “A long and complex war, in multiple arenas, against numerous threats, which is still ongoing.”
Zamir also highlighted the responsibility Israeli citizens have for one another.
"For the State of Israel, this idea is essential to its existence and resilience, and no one is exempt—not individuals, not groups, and not tribes," Zamir said.
"We all enlist, we all fight together, and we all sacrifice together—for the sake of the state and for a better future. Because one shared destiny placed us here, in this land,” he said.
Zamir highlights notable awardees
Zamir noted particular awardees, including Avigdor, an officer from a haredi family, “who chose to enlist in the IDF despite social challenges,” and Dorian, “who made aliyah alone just two years ago, and despite the language barriers, excelled in his service in the Intelligence Directorate.”
He also spotlighted Oria, an observer from the Re'im base, who survived Hamas’s October 7 attack and continued to serve in the IDF, “demonstrating extraordinary inner strength,” Zamir said.
“Lea, a soldier whose grandfather was kidnapped to Gaza and murdered there, and from that great pain, she found the strength to persevere, rise, and excel,” Zamir continued.
He concluded with Daria, the sister of a civilian hostage, “who enlisted in the IDF and, even during the fierce struggle for her sister’s return, managed to stand out and become a role model for strength and determination,” he said.
“We, too, together with you, are adding a new verse to the long and glorious song of the life of the people of Israel. From this place, in the heart of Jerusalem, our eternal capital, we send a clear message: The Israeli hope is alive and beating, and our actions will speak.
Happy and safe Independence Day," Zamir said at the end of his speech.